I am donating 100% of my Ravelry pattern sales (after fees) to help the people of the Bahamas, from today until September 22nd.

I will be making my donation to the HeadKnowles GoFundMe campaign. This is an established, local fundraising group with connections to community and church groups in Abaco. They have experience in disaster relief post-hurricane. My husband and I will also make a personal donation beyond what I can raise through pattern sales.

My parents on the beach in Marsh Harbour, 1994-ish.

I have a connection to these islands. I grew up swimming in the turquoise waters of the Sea of Abaco, where my parents owned a vacation house called Sandy Cove. Later, when my sisters and I went off to college, they retired there. It was their full-time home for over a decade, before they moved back to Canada.

My grief for the people of Abaco is tied to another fresh grief. A month ago my Dad died, suddenly and painlessly. At the time, I comforted myself that he died without ever being sick, and without ever having to see those he loved sick or in pain. I have so many memories of him puttering in that tropical garden, conferring with locals about the best places to snorkel and swim, his magical ability to predict the coming weather. It’s a small thing, but I’m glad he didn’t live to see Marsh Harbour in ruins. I know he would have done whatever he could have to help the people and the island he loved.

My parents in the Bahamas in 2018.

For his 80th birthday last year, his wish was to have the whole family reunited in the Bahamas. I’m so glad we went, but heartbroken to think that the people we met, the beautiful sea creatures we saw and the places we went may all be gone.

If you decide to buy a pattern from me during this time, I thank you. If you are not shopping for patterns but would like to give, I urge you to do so. Even a small donation helps. There are several verified local campaigns on GoFundMe, and organizations like the Red Cross are on the ground as well.

Thank you for reading.

Sandy Cove, center, post Hurricane Dorian. The little pink building in the back was my Dad’s writing studio.

It’s not easy, coming up with creative, catchy and memorable names for 12-14 patterns a year. There’s always a moment in the design process (usually when I’ve reached the ‘miles of stockinette’ or ‘make second sleeve’ section) when I look down at the project in my hands and think “What am I going to call this?”

I was so thrilled to work with both these yarns from two indie dyers I admire with such different points of view. Stephanie at Asylum Fibers has a very cool gothic thing going on (I mean, just check out her colour names) and Annie at Knitting It Up draws her inspiration from all things pop culture (her 'Friends' themed fade kit is stunning.)

I've had a few messages from knitters working on my Four Score sweater asking for techniques for tightening up that annoying column of loose purl stitches that often appear right after your column of knit stitches.

The neckline as written is quite high - I find it comfortable to wear but I know some people prefer not to have something right up against their neck. To drop the neckline down, skip the first increase by casting on the number of stitches listed after that first increase.